


Love You in the Light

by Criminalmind1927



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Angst, Blow Jobs, Hand Jobs, Internalized Homophobia, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2020-08-19 17:30:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20213584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Criminalmind1927/pseuds/Criminalmind1927
Summary: Yesterday, I asked for prompts on Tumblr and @outofnowhere82 DELIVERED with the song “New Rules” by Dua Lipa.Now, I’m an old lady who doesn’t listen to the jams that you young people do, so I had to look it up- but it was a great prompt for this angsty Rhink story. ENJOY!





	Love You in the Light

**Author's Note:**

  * For [out_of_nowhere](https://archiveofourown.org/users/out_of_nowhere/gifts).

> I love each and every one of you who read my stories. Those of you who comment? I worship the ground you walk on. ❤️❤️❤️

Bzzz.

_ Ignore it. _

Bzzz

_ He’s just drunk and lonely. _

Bzzz

_ Ignore. It. Link. _

Bzzz

“God damn it.” He overruled his own logic as he got up and of bed, throwing the blankets back into an inelegant pile on the bed. He grabbed for his glasses and swiped open the phone and held it to his ear, already disappointed in himself, “Yeah?”

“Hey buddy! Thought yer were ‘sleep or somethin.”

“I was. Well almost anyw-”

“I’m downstairs. Lemme in.” 

“Rhett.”

“Come on- s’cold. And I gotta piss.” 

“It’s late.”

“...And cold. And I still gotta piss. Lemme in, Neal. Come on.”

_ Don’t let him in. _

“Fine.”

Link pulled up his loose pajama pants and shuffled over to his apartment’s call box and buzzed his drunk friend in. 

He knew he shouldn’t. 

He had even promised himself he wouldn’t. But he had made that promise many times and not once had he kept it. 

And when the door opened and those glazed green eyes stared at him, he remembered why.

“Cute pjs, Neal.” He winked.

The statuesque blonde stood leaning against the door frame, his elegant hands shoved into the pockets of his dark jeans. His hair beautifully mussed, his leather jacket reeking of whiskey. 

“S’fucking freezing outside. Turn on yer heat, brotha.”

Rhett walked in and shed his jacket. “Be back inna second.” Rhett belined for the bathroom. 

At least he wasn’t lying about needing to pee. 

Link sighed as he hung Rhett’s discarded jacket on the coat rack and headed for his bedroom. 

He knew the tune to this song of theirs. 

Rhett would drink. Rhett would call in the middle of the night. Link would always answer. Rhett would come over. Rhett would touch Link. They would fall asleep in each other’s arms. Link would wake up to an empty bed. A week or two later, it would all happen again. 

He had to end this cycle. He had promised himself he would. He needed to stand up for himself. For what he wanted. Because causal sex with his best friend was not it. 

Link sat on his bed, eyes towards the bathroom door, rehearsing his speech- he was mid mental delivery when the door opened,

“Too drunk t’drive right now. Can I stay?” He was already taking his shoes off and going for his belt. 

_ No. No you can’t. _

“Yes.” 

“Good.” Rhett quickly and ungracefully shed his pants and climbed into the other side of the bed. 

“Saw Stevie at tha bar.”

Link took his glasses off and set them on the bedside table and rubbed his tired eyes. 

“Oh?”

“Yeah...she’s doing good. S’got a… a girlfriend.”

“Yeah I know.”

“Oh. Didn’t know ya knew.”

Rhett wiggled until he was side by side with Link. The small talk was over as Rhett grabbed slowly grabbed for his slim waist. “What else ya know?”

“Rhett.”

“What?” He kissed Link’s neck in the spot he _ knew _ would get him to shut up.

“Rhe-...ohhhh god…” 

Rhett smirked with pride. He knew how to play Link’s body like an instrument. He knew where to suck and what to kiss and how hard to grab and when to let go. Nearly 3 months of practice told him so. 

Rhett suckled Link’s neck as his right hand went for Link’s flat stomach, tickling shapes into the toned tummy. Link squirmed with pleasure and raised his hips and moaned. 

He was pathetic. He had no will power. But god damn if he cared in this moment. 

Rhett’s fingers toyed with the edge of his low slung pajama pants. 

“Ya been a good boy, Neal?” He murmured into his neck.

Link was never sure what game they were playing, but he managed a whiny, 

“Yeah.”

“Good. Wanna give you somethin special.” 

Rhett dove under the sheets and settled himself between Link’s thighs. Link’s breath hitched in anticipation of the relief of Rhett’s warm, calloused hand beginning to stroke him. But he nearly jumped as Rhett’s mouth trailed kisses up and down his inner thighs before licking around his entrance. 

“Woah. Rhett.” he spoke to the moving sheet- This was uncharted territory for them. Rhett had only ever given Link handjobs before. Nearly a dozen at this point with never a hint of escalation. 

“Just lemme, Neal. I think…it’ll feel good. Ya gotta trust me.”

_ I don’t. _

“I mean I know it feels good, Rhett. It’s just…are you sure you-” 

Rhett growled. Link stopped his half-hearted protest. 

Rhett’s tentative tongue explored Link, the occasional moan and hum of surprise and pleasure escaping the taller man’s lips. The wetness increased as Rhett couldn’t keep himself from drooling with excitement as he tried different pressures and placements with his eager tongue, eventually settling on tongue fucking his friend, because that made Link moan the loudest.

After a few minutes, Rhett’s mouth left and the cold hit Link quickly. He groaned,

“Don’t stop! Rhe-“ he lifted the sheet to regard the man under it.

“Hey!” Rhett barked as he scolded Link. The sheet was snatched out of his hands and slammed down to conceal the acts underneath it. 

“Leave. it.” 

“Rhett…” Link pleaded. Rhett’s voice was barely audible,

“Don’t look at me.”

“Rhett, please. We need to talk about this.” Link’s heart broke.

The silence sat for a few moments. Rhett slowly began his ministrations again, gently kissing Link’s legs, caressing the coarse black hair, nuzzling between his thighs. He eventually licked his way to Link’s still hard cock and took his time as he enveloped him slowly.

“Uhh. Fffffuuuu. Rhett, Rhett, Rhett. Fuck!”

Rhett approached the act with an unrelenting slowness, savoring the taste, the feeling, Link’s moans and nearly shouted expletives… because Rhett didn’t know the next time he would be able to work up the courage to try this again.

The taste of skin, the salty taste of precum tickling the back of his tongue, the ridges and veins of the member in his mouth. He memorized it. He was mesmerized. He never wanted to stop. 

He sucked gently and let himself get lost in the act, tired of unpacking it, he gave himself over, but he soon heard the strangled cries above the sheet.

“I- I’m gonna cum!” Link could feel the indecision occurring under the sheet, Rhett volleying inbetween swallowing or not… his mouth on then off, his breathing hard. 

“Rhett! Rhett! I can’t hold it!”

Rhett pulled his mouth off and jerked him to completion. Link could feel himself spill over his own lap. He panted and moaned through the long, wet orgasm. After a few moments, he felt a fingertip dip into the wet mess of his orgasm, followed by a quiet sucking sound. A hum. Then he felt even more wetness as Rhett’s tongue lapped at him for several minutes, cleaning up every drop he had decided against swallowing moments before. Link’s hips would buck as he tongued around his super sensitive cock. 

Link nearly fell asleep at the sensual attention, laying unmoving and boneless on the bed when he felt a large body wriggle up beside him. Rhett wrapped himself around Link’s spent body and kissed his sweaty hair and nuzzled into Link’s ear with a whispered, 

“Thank you. G’night.” 

Link was overwhelmed in every sense of the word. He didn’t know what to do or who to be or how to act. He let sleep pull him into the lack of a decision. 

The next morning the empty bed hit him like a slap in the face. No note, no call, no text, nothing. 

Why would he expect anything different?

Link cried and promised himself- he needed to move on from...whatever this was. 

—————————

A week later, he had to pony up and follow through with his promise. 

Bzzz

_ Be strong. _

Bzzz

_ Be brave. _

Bzzz

_ Tell him the truth. _

“Yeah?”

“M’here. Lemme up.”

“Rhett… I can’t.” 

“What? What you mean you can’t? Come on. S’fucking freezing.”

“I’m dating someone.” Rhett was silent, Link’s blood pounded in his ears- he hadn’t meant to blurt it out like that.

“Yer.. yer what?”

“I’m… I’m dating a guy from work- Alex. Well… we’ve been on two dates. But he’s really sweet and funny, and I-“

“No.”

“Excuse me?”

“No. Dump him.” Link was furious. Rhett not only was completely emotionally unavailable, but he had the _ gall _ to tell him who he could and couldn’t see? 

“You do not get to tell me who I can date, Rhett.”

“Yes’can.” 

“No. You don’t. 

“Dump him.”

“Rhett, I’m not dumping him.”

——————————

“Alex, I can't see you anymore.”

Link paced in his room, phone pressed hard to his ear, hating himself. He was giving up a potentially healthy relationship with someone who actually wanted to be seen in public with him. And for what?

“Wow, ok. Uh… can I ask why?”

_ Because my best friend told me to dump you. And I’m madly in love with him, and even though he doesnt love me, I do whatever he says. _

“It’s complicated.”

“Is it because of Rhett?”

Link was stunned for a moment. 

“Wha.. what? Why would.. What?”

“Link, he’s all you talk about. I kinda thought this would happen, honestly. You’re really hung up on him.” Link balked, 

“How can you be hung up on something that uses you?”

“Do you love him?”

Link sighed and resigned with a thin,

“Yeah.” 

“That’s how. Does he know that?” 

“How should I know? I only see him when he’s drunk off his ass. I dunno what he remembers!” 

“Link. Cool it. You’re dumping me, remember?”

“Sorry.” He mumbled. 

“You should talk to him. Tell him how you feel. I think you both owe each other the truth.”

“Yeah.” 

“Now, I know we only went out twice, so work won’t be weird, right? We’re still friends?”

“Yeah, yeah of course. I’m sorry, Alex.”

“For what, man?”

“For dating someone before I was ready. For dragging you into this mess.”

Link could hear Alex’s soft laughter. 

“I’ll recover, Link.”

“Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome, man.”

“See you on Monday?” 

“Sure thing. And Link?”

“Hmm?”

“Talk to him.”

“I will.”

————————

Bzzz

_ Jesus. It’s 3 am. _

Bzzz.

_ I’m not ready for this. _

Bzzz

_ I haven’t practiced my speech. _

Bzzz

_ Fuck. _

Link held the vibrating phone to his ear, 

“Yeah?”

“Heyyyy Linkster! Lemme in.”

Link immediately hung up and flipped on the lights and leaned on the buzzer to let Rhett up. He paced and mentally prepared himself to put his heart on the line.

Rhett opened the door, he wore his beat up leather jacket, a wrinkled, gaudy patterned shirt and black jeans. He took a step into Link’s apartment and shut the door. 

“Hey, wh-“

“Why won’t you let me be happy??” 

_ Alright. Not the best start there, Neal. Kind of aggressive. _

Rhett’s bleary eyes tried their best to focus on the shouting figure in front of him.

“What? What are you talkin ‘bout?”

“Me. You. Us. What the hell are we? You never stick around long enough to talk about it.”

“We’re… we’re…”

“Well, I know we’re not together, I know someone who leaves without so much as a note time and time again couldn’t possibly have feelings for me- do you even like me??” This was all happening so fast. Rhett felt like his head was underwater as he tried to keep up with the conversation. 

“Link, I… of course I do.”

“I’ve tried to date other people! I tried to be happy. And you won’t let me!”

“I want you to be happy, Link. Why would y’say I don’t want that fer you?” Rhett walked further into the room, heading for the couch- he needed to sit down.

“I love you, you asshole.” 

Rhett stopped dead in his tracks, gripping the arm of the couch as he processed the confession. “Why do you think I let you treat me like this? If I didn’t care about you I wouldn’t give a fuck. I wouldn’t answer the phone. I wouldn’t let you in. But I’m done with that now. You need to leave. I am worth more than drunk phone calls and an empty bed in the morning.” 

Link was breathing hard and heavy, tears stinging his eyes, his body shaking with adrenaline. He nearly missed Rhett’s whispered statement,

“Yer right.”

“What?”

“Yer right. Yer worth more than that.” Rhett headed for the door. “But I’m not.”

“What?” He followed Rhett to the door. “What are you talking about?” 

“I can’t love you, Link.”

Links heart tore in two. This was so much worse than what he expected. “I mean, I can’t even admit my feelings unless I’m drunk. What kind of person does that?” He stood staring at the front door, trying his damndest to be articulate in this state. “I’m not gay, Link. But… god. I.. I want you. I love you. I… I don’t know what that means...but-”

_ Did he just say... _

“Rhett. You… did you just say you love me?” Rhett wasn’t listening, he was too intent on delivering his goodbye speech to the man he loved, 

“You deserve someone great, bo. Not me. I wish it was me…” he went for the door knob, Link knocked his hand away.

“Wait, Rhett. Don’t go.”

“No… I’ve done ‘nough damage. Goodbye, Link.”

“No.. wait, what do you mean goodbye? Why are you saying it like that??” The men fought for purchase on the doorknob. 

“Gonna get outta yer life for good. Let you find someone worthy. And be picky, Neal. Cuz yer really easy to love.”

“Rhett, don’t. Please.”

Rhett managed to open the front door and whispered back over his shoulder,

“I love you, Link.”

“Rhett! Stop!” Link grabbed the back of Rhett’s jacket and tried to pull him back inside and shut the door. Rhett turned and pulled Link in for the most passionate kiss of his life. They were both breathing hard through their noses, tears streaming down their faces, clinging to each other. Link held fistfuls of Rhett’s jacket as he held him close and refused to let go, desperately kissing the bearded face with a barrage of wet kisses. Rhett’s hands held Link’s face, scared if he let go that he would be gone. He received the hurried kisses with as much gentleness as he could. They kissed until their breathing slowed. 

Link kissed Rhett’s tears away, fingers ghosting over his lips. They both apologized profusely, talking over each other,

“I don’t know what to do with these feelings, Link. I've been so scared.” 

“I didn’t know. Rhett, I didn’t know. I would’ve helped… I would’ve-“

“No it’s my fault. I… I should be better. I should be able to say that I’m… I’m…”

“I should’ve asked. I should’ve-“

“Link.” Rhett looked positively terrified. “I’m scared.” Link held the giant close, his hand holding the back of his head, threading through the curls, the other hand holding his waist impossibly close.

“I know. Just...Try? Just. Please try. With me. That’s all I’m asking.” Rhett shook his head, the tears returning, 

“You should ask for more. You deserve more.” 

“I… I want you to give me what you can.”

“I.. I’m gonna try…”

Link took a deep breath,

“I believe you.”

Rhett pulled back with tears in his eyes and grabbed for Link’s face again. His beard was wet with tears as the men’s lips made gentle contact.

Link stopped the kiss to whisper comfort, 

“Come on, let’s get to bed.”

His arm around the emotional man, Link led him to his bedroom and sat him down on the bed. Kneeling between his long legs, he embraced around Rhett’s middle, placing his head on Rhett’s lap. Rhett’s elegant hands began to pet the brunette’s shaggy hair. 

“Link, I’m so sorry for what I’ve been doing. I… I didn’t want to admit it to myself, and you made me feel so safe… I should’ve thought about what it was doing to you…”

Link squeezed tighter and lifted his head. 

“Will you hold me tonight? Is that ok?” Rhett nodded, 

“Please.” 

Link stood and fell into Rhett’s open arms. Link held his best friend close as if he’d disappear. Link’s voice was so small,

“Are you gonna stay?” Rhett kissed Link’s forehead and rested his chin on the top of Link’s head, 

“Yes. I promise.”

Link closed his eyes. He was scared to hope.

———————

Sun spilled into Link’s apartment. Link felt to his right… his bed was empty. 

_ No. No. No. _

Link was wracked with silent sobs as he punched the empty bed.

_ I’m such a gullible idiot. _

The toilet flushed and a sleepy Rhett shuffled back into the bedroom, rubbing his eyes, alarmed by Link’s sudden outburst of tears. He flew to his side, his hands on his cheeks, searching his face for answers,

“Woah. Woah. Link, what’s wrong?”

“I just… I just….I thought….”

“What? What did you think, baby?” He held their foreheads together in an attempt to calm his flustered lover.

“I thought… you left.” Rhett’s heart was crushed. Link loved him so much, and Rhett had only been able to love him in the dark. He pictured Link crying after every night that he had snuck out like a coward. 

“God, Link.” Rhett pinned the sobbing man to his chest and joined him in his desperate tears. He apologized and plead for forgiveness in between sobs, 

“I’m so sorry, Link. I am so so sorry. I’m here. I didn’t leave. I’m here.” Rhett guided them back to lie back on the bed. Their tears lulled them both back to sleep and they awoke an hour later to the sound of Link’s stomach grumbling loudly. 

“Sorry. M’hungry.” He mumbled into Rhett’s chest. Rhett lifted his head and ventured,

“Let’s go to breakfast.”

“What?”

“Let me take you to breakfast.” Link looked around- what he was looking for he wasn’t sure,

“Today? Now?”

“Yes. Today. Now.”

“Rhett…. That’s a big step. People… people you know might see us together. They might assume-”

“I know.” Rhett pet the unsure face in front of him. “I’m still scared but- you’ll be there. That’s what I really care about. I’m tired of being stupid. I wanna start acting like someone who deserves you. Because you’ve already given me way too many chances. I’m not going to risk losing you.”

“I love you.”

Rhett pulled Link in close, kissing all over his neck and face, over his beautiful blue eyes that were still swollen from crying,

“I love you.” 

They melted into each other, tongues lazily exploring the other’s mouths, squeezing and groping anywhere they could reach. Their warm bodies felt so wonderful, so inviting, so right. Shirts were soon removed, leaving Link in sweatpants and Rhett in his boxers. Rhett’s fingers lightly journeyed all over Link’s strong arms, the hair raising as he broke out in goosebumps and gasped. Rhett straightened his arms and hovered over the brunette, his impressive erection prominent through his boxers, tickling Link’s inner thighs. The smaller man gasped. 

He kissed Link’s chest and across his broad shoulders,

“I love your shoulders… they’re so beautiful.”

He shifted slightly and rested his lower half lightly against Link as he licked his nipples until they became hard, sensitive peaks. He kissed a trail down his stomach burrowing under the sheet. He looked up- asking for permission. 

Link nodded, and the sweatpants were removed with tender loving care. Link quirked a brow and questioned,

“Breakfast?” 

“Absolutely.” He kissed around the dark curls, nuzzling his nose against Link’s morning wood. He reached above him and threw the sheet off of the two entwined lovers and declared, 

“But, I wanna love you in the light, first.”

He took Link in his mouth and went down as far as his small mouth would allow. 

Link made a surprised, strangled noise as he looked down at the man bringing him this pleasure. 

Green eyes were staring directly at him as he bobbed his head up and down. Link nearly came right then and there.

“Jesus fucking Christ, you’re gonna kill me, Rhett.” 

Rhett laughed and the laughter’s vibrations felt positively delicious. Link moaned long and loud. 

“Rhett… oh god. Fuck, god you look so gorgeous. I love you.”

Rhett pulled up and stroked Link quickly and his voice was clear and purposeful,

“I love you so much. I want you to cum, Link.”

“Oh fuck! I will! I’m close!!”

Rhett put his mouth on Link again, continuing his eye contact. 

Link whined higher and higher and his face contorted in a silent scream. He looked to Rhett to warn him, 

“C-cumming! Rhett! I’m cumming!”

Rhett didn’t stop, drinking down everything Link gave him, amending his indecision from the other day. Rhett moaned and pulled off, licking the excess off of Link. Link croaked,

“Rhett, come ere.”

Rhett crawled up to Link and laid by his side, head resting on his elbow, and ran his hands through Link’s sweaty hair. The brunette looked positively wrecked. Rhett chuckled,

“Yeah?” 

“I know I’ve said it a lot, but god do I mean it- I love you so much.”

Rhett placed a gentle kiss to Link’s lips, 

“Love you.” 

Link’s stomach made a loud rumble. Rhett laughed and kissed the noisy tummy,

“Get dressed. Let’s go eat, darlin.”

“But, what about you?” 

“I can wait….” he kissed Link’s favorite spot behind his ear then nibbled his earlobe as he dropped his voice to its lower octave, “cause when we get back, I think I want you to fuck me.” 

Link reared back as if he were slapped,

“And you expect me to sit down and eat after you say shit like that??” Link clawed for Rhett’s boxers, Rhett swatted him away. 

“Breakfast, darlin. Let’s go eat.”

“But… All I’m gonna be thinking about is being inside you…”

“Why do you think I said it?” He winked.

They went to… well it was lunch at that point. And dinner. And breakfast the next day. And lunch. Then dinner. And every single meal after that...


End file.
